Slip-through buckle for watchband

ABSTRACT

A slip-through watchband buckle in which one end of the band is pivotally secured to the buckle cover at a location between the free end of the cover and the other end of the cover which is mounted on the sides of the buckle base for pivotal movement between an open position away from the base and a closed position over the base and for sliding movement in its closed position between a locked position and a released position. After the tongue has been slipped through the buckle over the base to a position at which a rib or projection on the base engages a recess in the underside of the tongue the cover first is pivoted to its closed position to bring the buckle end pivot to a slightly beyond dead center position with reference to the cover pivot and then is slid to its locked position positively to hold the tongue in place.

United States Patent Hauser [54] SLIP-THROUGH BUCKLE FOR WATCHBAND [72] Inventor: Seymour llauser, North Bergen, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Kreisler Manufacturing Corporation,

North Bergen, NJ.

[22] Filed: June 29, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 50,634

[52] US. Cl. .24/19l [51] ..A44b 11/12 [58] Field of Search ..24/265 WS, 265 CC, 71 J, 69 .1, 24/163, 170, 191, 194, 265

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,340,821 5/1920 Buchsbaum ..24/194 ....24/191 .....24/7l SK 1 Mar. 1 1, 1972 Primary Examiner-Donald A. Griffin Attorney--Shenier and OConnor [57] ABSTRACT A slip-through watchband buckle in which one end of the band is pivotally secured to the buckle cover at a location between the free end of the cover and the other end of the cover which is mounted on the sides of the buckle base for pivotal movement between an open position away from the base and a closed position over the base and for sliding movement in its closed position between a locked position and a released position. After the tongue has been slipped through the buckle over the base to a position at which a rib or projection on the base engages a recess in the underside of the tongue the cover first is pivoted to its closed position to bring the buckle end pivot to a slightly beyond dead center position with reference to the cover pivot and then is slid to its locked position positively to hold the tongue in place.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIEHMAR 1 1912 m w; my MW m w, 5 Z w um SLIP-THROUGH BUCKLE FOR WATCIIBAND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are known in the prior art slip-through buckles which are especially adapted for use with non-extensible, flexible bands made up of elements formed from a rigid material such as metal. Examples of such bands are mesh or link bands.

In the prior art, buckles of this type include a base having side walls to which one end of the band is secured. The tongue end of the band is slipped over the base between the sides under a pressure plate pivoted on the sides, under a pivot pin which swingably supports a cover on the sides and finally under the other band end. When the tongue has thus been positioned, the cover is moved from an open position away from the base to a closed position over the base to cause a cam thereon to act on the pressure plate to force its edge into engagement with the top of the tongue to clamp the band between the cover and the base. The base may be provided with detents for engaging in recesses in the underside of the band.

The outstanding defect of a buckle of the type described above is its high profile relative to the thickness of the band with which it is used. Owing to the cam clamping action employed in the buckle, the overall height thereof is appreciably greater than twice the band thickness. While the required height might be tolerated in a relatively thin band, it is entirely unsuitable for thicker bands.

In addition to the defect described above, slip-through buckles of the prior art are not as secure as is desirable. If a force is exerted in a direction to tend to lift the portion of the band extending away from the tongue away from the base, the cover is lifted slightly from its fully closed position to a position at which it may catch on a garment or the like so as accidentally to be released.

I have invented a slip-through watchband buckle which overcomes the defects of slip-through watchband buckles of the prior art. My buckle has a profile which is not appreciably greater than twice the thickness of the band with which it is used. My buckle is especially adapted for use with thicker bands of the non-extensible, flexible type, the elements of which are made from rigid material such as metal. My buckle is more secure than are slip-through watchband buckles of the type known in the art in that it will not readily become accidentally disengaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One object of my invention is to provide a slip-through watchband buckle which is especially adapted for use with non-extensible, flexible bands, the elements of which are formed from rigid material such as metal.

Another object of my invention is to provide a slip-through watchband buckle having a low profile.

A further object of my invention is to provide a slip-through watchband buckle which is especially adapted for use with thicker bands.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a slipthrough watchband which is more secure than are slip-through watchband buckles of the type known in the art.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description.

In general my invention contemplates the provision of a slip-through watchband buckle in which a cover, slidably and pivotally supported adjacent one of its ends on sides carried by a base, pivotally supports one of the band ends at a location intermediate the length of the cover. After the free or tongue end of the band has been slipped over the base between the sides and under the cover pivot to bring a projection on the base into engagement with a recess in the band, the cover first is pivoted from open to closed position to bring the other end pivot to a slightly beyond dead center position with respect to the cover pivot to lock the buckle and then is slid to a positive locking position at which interengageable elements on the cover and base positively hold the cover against accidental release.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. l is a top plan showing my slip-through watchband buckle in use in securing the ends of a watchband or the like.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of my slip-through buckle taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1 and drawn on an enlarged scale with parts broken away.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of my slip-through watchband buckle illustrating the relative positions of the parts in the open condition of the buckle.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan of the tongue end of a band for which my buckle is intended.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, my slip-through watchband buckle, indicated generally by the reference character 10, is adapted for use with a band comprising a first length 112 secured to the buckle assembly in a manner to be described and a second length 14 the end of which forms a tongue I6 adapted to be slipped through the buckle assembly 110. The other ends of lengths l2 and 114 may be secured to a watchcase or the like (not shown). As has been pointed out hereinabove, my buckle 10 is especially adapted for use with a band the lengths I2 and 14 of which are flexible though non-extensible I and the elements of which are formed of metal. By way of example, coils 18 of wire may be intertwined to form what appears to be a tightly woven mesh band. A band of this type, while not being extensible, is flexible.

My buckle 10 includes a base 20 carrying sides 22 and 24 provided with slots 23 and 25 which receive a pivot pin 26 which extends through sides 28 and 30 of a cover 32 so as to support the cover for swinging movement from an open position illustrated in FIG. 3 to a closed position shown in FIGS. l and 2. Slots 23 and 25 further permit relative sliding movement of the cover and the base between an unlocked relative position indicated by the dot-dash line position of the base in FIG. 2 to a locked relative position indicated in full lines. It is to be understood that the sides 28 and 30 are disposed outboard of the sides 22 and 24.

I form the cover 32 with a recess 34 having a central bearing portion 36. I secure the end of length 12 to a connector 38 by any suitable means such as by brazing, soldering or the like. Connector 38 includes spaced bearing portions 40 and 42 which, together with the bearing portion 36, receive a pivot pin 44 for pivotally mounting the connector 38 and the length I2 secured thereto at a location on the cover 32 intermediate its end. The tongue 16 of the length 114 is adapted to he slipped over the base 20 between the sides 22 and 24 to a position at which a portion thereof underlies the length I2. I may form the underside of the length I4 with laterally extending recesses 46 for receiving either a rib or a row of detents 43 struck out of the base 20. It will readily be appreciated that the effective length of the band can be adjusted by selectively positioning the row of detents 43 in the lateral recess 46. It will further be appreciated that in many forms of band for which my buckle is intended the band will have natural recesses 46 which can be engaged by the detents 48.

After the tongue M has been positioned in the manner described cover 32 first is moved in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 2 from the broken line position with its pivot pin 26 located in the right hand ends of slots 23 and 25 to the closed position shown in dot-dash lines. Next, the cover is slid to the left to bring pin 26 into engagement with the left ends of the slots. In the course of that movement inwardly directed offsets 50 and 52 on sides 28 and 30 ride under extensions 54 and 56 on sides 22 and 24 positively to lock the buckle in closed position. It will be appreciated that tension in the band is in a direction to hold the offsets in position under extensions 54 and 56.

The operation of my buckle will readily be apparent from the description hereinabove. First, with the cover 32 open, tongue 16 is slipped over the base 20 between sides 22 and 24 until the detents 48 are located in a recess 46 which provides a comfortable fit to the wearer. When that has been done the cover first is moved to closed position and then is slid to locked position to cause offsets S and 52 to ride under extensions 54 and 56 and to be held thereunder. in the course of that action, pin 44 moves to a slightly beyond dead center position with respect to pin 26. The free or tongue end 16 of the length 14 is then securely held in place without any positive clamping action. That is, in that position of the parts, the cover 32 merely holds length 14 in such a position that the detents 48 securely engage in a recess 46. Tension on the band not only is not transmitted to the cover 32 but it holds offsets 50 and 52 in position. It is also to be noted that in the closed position the overall height of my buckle assembly is not appreciably greater than twice the thickness of the band with which it is used.

It will be seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. I have provided a slip-through buckle which is especially adapted for use with a watchband of the non-extensible, flexible type the elements of which are made of rigid material such as metal. My buckle has a relatively low profile. It is eminently suited for use with thicker bands. It is more secure than are slip-through buckles of the type known in the art.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of my claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of my claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A slip-through buckle assembly for a watchband or the like including in combination, a base, a cover, means mounting said cover adjacent one end thereof on said base for movement between an open position away from said base and a closed position overlying said base, and means mounting an end of said band for pivotal movement on said cover at a location intermediate the ends thereof.

2. A buckle assembly as in claim 1 in which said band has a free end adapted to be slipped over said base between the cover and the base, said base being provided with a projection for engaging in a recess in the underside of said free end.

3. A buckle assembly as in claim 1 including means for releasably retaining said cover in closed position.

4. A slip-through buckle assembly for a watchband having ends including in combination, a base, sides upstanding from said base, a cover, means mounting one end of said band on said cover for pivotal movement around a first axis intermediate the ends of said cover, means mounting said cover adjacent one of its ends on said sides for movement around a second axis from an open position at which said first axis is above said second axis to a closed position at which said first axis is between said second axis and said base, and means releasably holding said cover in said closed position.

5. A buckle as in claim 4 in which the other end of said band is adapted to be slipped over said base between said sides, said buckle including a projection upstanding from said base for engagement in a recess in the underside of said other band end.

6. A buckle as in claim 4 in which said cover mounting means also mounts said cover for sliding movement in a direction generally parallel to said base, said holding means comprising interengageable means on said cover and on said base responsive to sliding movement of said cover relative to said base.

7. A slip-through buckle assembly for a watchband having ends including in combination, a base, sides upstanding from said base, a cover, means mounting one of said band ends for pivotal movement on said cover at a location intermediate the ends thereof, means mounting said cover ad acent one of its ends on said sides for pivotal movement from an open position away from said base to a closed position over said base and for sliding movement in a direction generally parallel to said base from said closed position to a locked position, the other end of said band adapted to be slipped over said base between said sides and under said cover mounting means, means on said base for engaging the underside of said other band end, said cover in said closed position holding said band in engagement with said engaging means and interengageable means on said cover and on said sides for holding said cover closed in response to movement of the cover from said closed to said locked position.

8. An assembly as in claim 7 in which said interengageable means comprises extensions on said sides and inwardly directed lugs on said cover adapted to ride under said extensions in response to movement of said cover from said closed to said locked position. 

1. A slip-through buckle assembly for a watchband or the like including in combination, a base, a cover, means mounting said cover adjacent one end thereof on said base for movement between an open position away from said base and a closed position overlying said base, and means mounting an end of said band for pivotal movement on said cover at a location intermediate the ends thereof.
 2. A buckle assembly as in claim 1 in which said band has a free end adapted to be slipped over said base between the cover And the base, said base being provided with a projection for engaging in a recess in the underside of said free end.
 3. A buckle assembly as in claim 1 including means for releasably retaining said cover in closed position.
 4. A slip-through buckle assembly for a watchband having ends including in combination, a base, sides upstanding from said base, a cover, means mounting one end of said band on said cover for pivotal movement around a first axis intermediate the ends of said cover, means mounting said cover adjacent one of its ends on said sides for movement around a second axis from an open position at which said first axis is above said second axis to a closed position at which said first axis is between said second axis and said base, and means releasably holding said cover in said closed position.
 5. A buckle as in claim 4 in which the other end of said band is adapted to be slipped over said base between said sides, said buckle including a projection upstanding from said base for engagement in a recess in the underside of said other band end.
 6. A buckle as in claim 4 in which said cover mounting means also mounts said cover for sliding movement in a direction generally parallel to said base, said holding means comprising interengageable means on said cover and on said base responsive to sliding movement of said cover relative to said base.
 7. A slip-through buckle assembly for a watchband having ends including in combination, a base, sides upstanding from said base, a cover, means mounting one of said band ends for pivotal movement on said cover at a location intermediate the ends thereof, means mounting said cover adjacent one of its ends on said sides for pivotal movement from an open position away from said base to a closed position over said base and for sliding movement in a direction generally parallel to said base from said closed position to a locked position, the other end of said band adapted to be slipped over said base between said sides and under said cover mounting means, means on said base for engaging the underside of said other band end, said cover in said closed position holding said band in engagement with said engaging means and interengageable means on said cover and on said sides for holding said cover closed in response to movement of the cover from said closed to said locked position.
 8. An assembly as in claim 7 in which said interengageable means comprises extensions on said sides and inwardly directed lugs on said cover adapted to ride under said extensions in response to movement of said cover from said closed to said locked position. 